


Rehabilitation

by EternallyEcho



Category: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Video Game), The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Aftermath, Arrogance, Blood, Boredom, Break the Haughty, Character Study, Developing Relationship, Emotional, Eventual Fluff, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Insecurity, Jealousy, M/M, Mild Blood, Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), Muteness, OTR - Freeform, One Shot, One True Rival, One-Sided Attraction, Opening Up, Or Is It?, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-War, Rival Relationship, Rivalry, Self-Esteem Issues, Slash Crush, Slash Friend, Spoilers, Touch-Starved, Tsunderes, Unresolved Emotional Tension, hints of it, probably, shades of it anyway, whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:07:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27798958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EternallyEcho/pseuds/EternallyEcho
Summary: Age of Calamity Spoilers.Revali struggles adjusting to a calmer life, but as usual, he refuses to share that with others. However, he might find comfort in the last place he would look for it...or rather, with the last person.
Relationships: Link/Revali (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 126





	Rehabilitation

**Author's Note:**

> This story has spoilers for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. Just in case you missed the summary and tags.
> 
> Also, this story happens to my first to any Legend of Zelda archive! So, hello!
> 
> I've been trying to come up with a Zelda fanfic for about a year, but I never could quite settle on an idea. And then after watching the Age of Calamity scenes and talking with a friend, this idea came together!
> 
> This story tells one based on Revali's perspective, though in the third person instead of first person. It was a fun way to write his thoughts into the narrator's, but still offer some flexibility. It's kind of a going through the motions feeling, I suppose? And relatively in-character, I believe.
> 
> Anyway, you didn't come to hear me babble...at least, not like this. So, read on and enjoy!

It was yet another dull afternoon around the slowly reconstructing Hyrule Castle. Calamity Ganon had torn most of the castle and grounds to pieces, but the Hylians were hard at work, repairing as much as they possibly could for it. Rising up new columns here, fixing up the busted statues there, back and forth, forth and back, over and over and over again.

Revali rolled his eyes, as he watched the Hylians of the castle bustle about through the day. The dark feathered Rito Champion sank down as his eyes lowered from watching them for far too long; all of their exhausting efforts that they burned in a short amount of time would waste yet another day of repairs, pushing them onto the next day, which would turn into a week, which would carry on perhaps for eternity.

Shaking his head and wandering off from his perch, Revali had waited for long enough. Spiraling around, he leapt up and soared into the air. If they wanted to tire themselves stupid repeatedly, they were welcome to it. He, on the other hand, had to find _something_ better to do with his time.

Flapping his wings and gazing into the skies, Revali searched for the Rito Village in the distance. He had half a mind to go home, of course, but that would be…well, it would make his efforts with assisting Princess Zelda shortchanged. After all, it would be painfully obvious to find that the Rito Champion had been around for the main fight, but once he disappeared after, that…wouldn’t quite look as splendid for his image. Not that it mattered for the rest of Hyrule, not entirely, but to the Rito, well, it was important to look strong for his countrymen.

Even if such strength amounted to the patience of Hylia’s most dedicated monks.

At any rate, no threats on the horizon, so nothing to worry about. Of course, there shouldn’t be a thing past Calamity Ganon, not since Zelda was able to seal that darkness away.

Descending back down from the skies, Revali touched down near the courtyard. Two of his fellow Champions, Urbosa and Daruk, were sparring with one another.

Pulling back on his fist, the Goron punched forward at the Gerudo, who lifted her shield to block the blow.

Arching her sword, Urbosa swung her Scimitar of the Seven up at Daruk, who sidestepped her swipe. He laughed and hammered down with his fists, as Urbosa leapt back.

She skidded across the ground, stopping just ahead of Revali. Glancing back to him, she paused and broke from her battling stance. Daruk had popped up from the ground and bounded over to them.

“Hey there, Revali!” The bright and smiling Goron waved to the Rito. “Me and Urbosa were just having a lil’ practice match!” For some reason, he had to state the obvious. It’s like he couldn’t resist it. “She knocked the Boulder Breaker right outta my hands!”

“Yet you still put up quite the fight in spite of that,” noted Urbosa. “I was expecting no less, but even that surprised me.” As usual, she’s far too generous with compliments to him.

“Charming.” Revali folded his arms, pushing his bow behind his back.

“You wanna join in?” Daruk lifted his arm and flexed. “It’d be pretty fun to grab Mipha too, see which of us Champions is the strongest!”

“Pass.” Revali twisted away and wandered off from them. “That’s something I already know the answer to.”

“You could stand some more training yourself, Revali,” cautioned Urbosa. “If it weren’t for our extraordinary visitors—”

“Yes, yes, I’m aware, thank you.” Revali glanced back over his shoulder, narrowing his eyes on the two. “I have my own methods to improve, and they don’t necessarily involve either of you. So, farewell.”

As Daruk couldn’t resist his boundless cheer and energy, Revali couldn’t resist putting a snide damper on anything. He watched as Urbosa shook her head while Daruk shrugged, and the two walked back along the courtyard, readying their next bout. Revali twisted away once more, walking off from them.

Reconstructing Hyrule Castle wasn’t the only fortification and improvements underway. Each of the Champions had almost lost their lives in the battle against the Calamity. Had it not been for interlopers hailing from the future, they likely would have been bested. Dead.

Shuddering, Revali ruffled his feathers and beat his wings. He didn’t die, however. Calamity Ganon failed, and here was the Rito Champion, still standing strong and proud as ever before. Something, though, was still…unnerving about the very thought.

And by the increased amounts of practice, each of the other Champions shared this inkling of fear, dread. They were meant to be the best of their people, and still they were near defeat, demise. So, they had taken to practicing more often, doubling efforts to improve upon perfection, no matter the odds.

Today wasn’t another day for dwelling upon such drivel and fears, though. Revali certainly wouldn’t let that happen again, not that it kept it down for long at all. But he wasn’t about to let it start up, and he wasn’t going to devote that worry into overworking himself the same as everyone else. Rest and rejuvenation were important to account for as well, after all.

Still, now that his mind had wandered back, he did admit to being curious about the warrior that hailed from his village. His name…Teba, wasn’t it? Strong, brave, fierce. Certainly a worthy successor to the Rito, one that should make Revali proud, or, he would if he hadn’t been a reminder of Revali’s shortcomings. Nevertheless, he had been quite respectful in spite of the Rito Champion’s…let’s go with confidence.

Should they ever meet again…wait, would that be possible? Hm. No matter.

He hopped up onto a broken pillar and gazed at the rubble scattered across the path around him. There was still plenty of cleaning that the Hylians needed to complete. And now that he was paying attention to the shards of window glass scattered across the grass, on top of the broken metal bars and torn scrolls and papers, Revali shook his head with a disgusted wince. Such a gaudy state Hyrule Castle had been left in, for far too long already.

“But just think of the opportunities that await us!”

Blinking as he sat upright, Revali leaned toward the nearest window, and peeked inside. Zelda hurried after her father, who waved off two guards that he had been talking with before the princess interrupted him. She carried a book and some kind of small relic in her hands.

“Now that Calamity Ganon has been defeated, we have so much more that we can explore across our world, Father,” detailed Zelda. She smiled down at the relic in her hands, studying its shapes. “There’s books that I’ve salvaged in the library, and I think that I’ve finally discovered the next pages that mother and I used to research.” She beamed as she looked up to her father. “We might be at a breaking point to incredible discoveries for not just us, but all of Hyrule!”

King Rhoam, on the other hand, seemed a bit…what’s the polite word for it? Perplexed? Overwhelmed? Possibly even distressed, if Revali was reading his expression correctly.

“Zelda, while you’ve done magnificent work, we do have to concentrate our efforts on the restoration of the damages to our home,” pointed out the King. “Even now, we still haven’t completed the castle’s restructuring.”

“That’s part of my point, Father!” She lifted the book before her startled father’s face. “If we actually don’t rebuild everything immediately, we could discover relics and history buried beneath the castle grounds themselves! And when we are rebuilding, we can expand points conducive to aiding in these advancements.” Zelda hugged the book and the relic closer to her. “A more expansive library, several studies not just for us, but for researchers that can work within our castle, multiple sanctums and laboratories to further research efforts and technologies that we can build—”

“While this all sounds very enlightening and promising,” interrupted the King, stepping closer to another nearby window, “I do believe the people will want their homes refurbished.”

“Of course, there’s no point in delaying that,” insisted Zelda. “But while we’re in the middle of rebuilding, we can expand! It won’t cause delays, because we’ll be busy adding to more for everyone!”

“Somehow, I don’t think she understands that I’m part of those people,” murmured the King, so that only he would hear…well, he and now Revali.

“Don’t you think that would be wonderful, Father?”

“Yes, well…perhaps we could…look into it,” resigned the King, turning back inside and wandering down the corridor, half-listening to his excitable daughter babbling about all of the coming directions her scholar work would take them and the kingdom.

Revali chuckled as he hopped from his pillar. While King Rhoam was normally a little sterner with his rule and decision-making, he had developed even more of a soft spot for his daughter lately. Perhaps he worried that he had pushed her too hard with her training to defeat the Calamity, or perhaps nearly losing his life and hers had reawakened his more sensitive sides. Whatever the case, his daughter became the one person he could never deny, in spite of wanting to at times such as this. The Rito Champion wondered if she understood the power she now held over him. It certainly gave part of the answer as to why the castle’s restructuring had slowed.

Was she right to redirect her focus on learning more of Hyrule’s ancient history? Or should everyone continue to prepare for another potential threat, still unknown to them?

With a shrug, Revali thought no more of it, and spiraled up in a gust, airborne again. Not that he could see _all_ of Hyrule from up here, but nothing seemed to be noteworthy still. No darkness or malice in the sunset skies, nothing threatening at least (and most importantly) Rito Village, even the skies looked calmer today—why was he still looking for trouble? This was supposed to be the day that he didn’t do so. There was simply no need.

Directing his attention back down, Revali spotted two figures close to the gate toward Hyrule Fields. Soaring down, he descended just behind the gate, and slid behind the column. Peeking out, he spotted the Zora princess, Mipha, walking alongside none other than the witless wonder himself: Link.

“It’s been a little while since we had a minute alone,” noted Mipha. She turned and smiled to him. “There’s so much that I wish we could talk about. You and Zelda managing to defeat Calamity Ganon, the appearance of Sidon from the future, and…and our futures now that everything is settled.” She inhaled in and slowly exhaled. “Link, I…I was wondering…if, perhaps maybe—”

“Oh, could you spit it out already?”

Mipha jumped as she and Link whirled around, spotting Revali leaning against the gate. He lowered his eyes at the pair, as Mipha clutched her fist close to her chest. Revali smirked and approached the pair.

“You were going to ask about how utterly ridiculous it was for Link to be the hero, right?”

“No, that’s…not quite…” Mipha fidgeted back as she jerked away from Revali, and then twisted around to Link. “I…I was trying to…” She blinked as Link raised an eyebrow at her. “Well…perhaps this wasn’t the right day for it.” Sighing, the Zora Champion forced up a smile and stepped away from the pair. “Link, let’s try to get together again soon. Perhaps…maybe we can find a way to communicate with my brother again?” She shook her head. “Oh, that’s silly of me. Please pardon me, and take care!”

She hurried off, rushing past Revali as he rolled his eyes. The lovesick princess, always trying to get the right words out for her favorite toy…this enigmatic boy.

Turning to Link, Revali had expected him to hold some expression of annoyance over the interruption of what otherwise should have been a tender moment with his childhood friend. But, even know, he wore some blank face instead, stowing his deeper emotions under the surface.

It was irritating.

“After everything that we’ve been through, I still don’t get you.” Revali narrowed his gaze over Link. “None of it makes any sense, you know that? Why would the sword that seals the darkness choose you, this…this utter nobody!” Revali threw his hand up, gesturing to Link with contempt. “What made you the clear pick over all other knights? Why were you this big hero to aid the Princess?” He folded his arms as he approached Link, studying him up and down. “There’s literally nothing about you that screams hero, especially not one that could defeat Calamity Ganon.” His green eyes locked onto Link’s blue eyes, and Revali glared at the hero. “And yet you did, and it was thanks to you that Zelda could seal the Calamity away.” Link merely blinked at Revali. “What the hell is it about you that makes you the worthy one?”

He waited as he stared at Link, who waited with him. Picking up that Revali was looking for a response, Link merely shrugged to the Rito Champion.

“You can’t just…you have to know why!” Revali swept his arm out. “If you don’t know, then it makes no sense! There must be something, _anything_ , that you were able to pick up on. Did you trick the sword to choosing you? Was it just because the King had already handpicked you as Zelda’s guard?” His brow furrowed as Link shrugged again. “Oh, don’t play it off! That’s what I despise the most about you!” Revali twisted away from Link. “You just act like everything is some kind of sheer coincidence, that you were just handed your role as if scripted by fate.”

Jerking up at that, Revali blinked. Wasn’t that it? Link was just…handed his role.

But…why? Why was that just given to him, greatness thrust upon him?

“Just thinking about it ruffles my feathers in the worst way,” snapped Revali. He spun back around to Link. “You think that I just tout my role above all Rito for the fun in it? Ha!” He whipped his wing around. “I _worked_ for that! Every time I encountered any obstacle, every time I struggled to make myself stronger, I pushed myself harder than anyone else from my village. Riding through the whirlwind’s eye, landing countless barrages of arrow fire, climbing to heights that no other Rito ever dreamed of…I was the clear choice to champion my people!” He leaned over Link and glared down on him. “So why was I only selected for a role to assist you? Why was I the one that was picked for my efforts, but you were chosen on a whim? And why was I the one that could have died from all of this?”

Link blinked as his mouth parted. Revali clamped his beak shut and twisted away from him again. This fool of a knight once again elicited emotions that Revali should have locked down by now, feelings that no one else knows of. Yet something about Link just drove those straight out of him, boiling deep down and brimming to the surface.

“Even after everything that’s happened to us, nothing has changed,” declared Revali. “It’s all just utterly _asinine_.”

A hand clamped down on Revali’s shoulder, and the Rito spiraled around, smacking it away. Link gripped his wrist as Revali scowled at him, fuming more than he had before. What was that, _pity_? For him? Revali had no need of it!

Once Link had finished soothing his hand, however, he pulled back his sleeve. Revali stared at the bandages wrapped over his arm, freshly patched over. He scoffed and rolled his eyes, folding his arms.

“What, did you want to show me that you bleed too?” Link nodded as Revali raised an eyebrow. “…Why?”

Near a stone, Link lifted his foot up, and tugged his boot off. Another bandage was wrapped around his ankle. He set it down and pulled out a bow beneath his sword’s sheath, showing that the string had broken. Revali looked closer at Link’s hands as he did so, and noticed how callused they were.

“Why are you showing me all of this? Mipha can literally heal you whenever you need, not me.” Revali pointed past the castle gate to the path she had taken. “Go after her, she can patch you up. Not that I care.” Link shook his head and Revali threw up his arms. “Then what are you trying to get at?”

Loosening the bandages over his arm, Link tugged them up a bit, and Revali winced at the sight of the open wound, a bit of blood smeared on the bandage. He stared at Link’s arm, and then looked to his face, which…softened.

“Is there a point to this nonsensical and disgusting display?”

After he covered his arm back up, Link pointed to himself. Then, he pointed to Revali, before returning his finger to himself. And he waved it back and forth as Revali gripped his head.

“Are you trying to ask for a fight? I didn’t want to spar with the others before, and I’m not in the mood to…” Link shook his head and Revali dropped his arms. “Then _what_ is it? What do I care if you bleed like anyone…else…?”

Just slightly, Link smiled as Revali’s eyes widened. He shook his head and lowered it.

“You think that we’re the same? That you’ve worked hard to get where you are?” Revali laughed sharply and reared his head back around. “Please. This doesn’t change a thing.” He fixed his gaze back on Link’s eyes. “You were chosen. I earned my position, my worth, but you were practically gifted everything.” Link shook his head. “What, you see it any other way? How? Because you trained with the other knights and rose above them?” Revali waved Link off. “Try beating out everyone you know of your entire race, and then maybe we can chat about how we measure up.”

He turned away from Link, who cut in front of him. Revali lowered his eyes and folded his arms.

“Did you forget that I can and will literally fly away from you?” Yet, for some reason, Revali didn’t. It was almost as if he were possessed to engage in this confrontation. “You and I aren’t equals. Your role and importance were placed above mine.”

At this, Link shook his head. Again, he went back to pointed between himself and Revali, which annoyed the Rito Champion even more.

“We’re not the same!”

Lifting his finger, Link turned to the side as he withdrew his sword. He poked at the ground and then started to trace into the dirt. Revali narrowed his eyes as he watched Link shape a heart. Just above and outside of the heart shape, he wrote the words, “All Rito’s,” and glanced back to make sure Revali was watching. Smiling upon seeing so, he guided his blade back to the center of the heart, and wrote into it.

“If you’re trying to make some baseless joke, I…”

Whatever retort formed in Revali’s mind, it vanished, as Link lifted the sword. In the middle of the heart was his name, “Revali,” emphasized by being in the center.

“All Rito’s…heart Revali,” read the Rito in question. “…All Ritos love Revali?” He glanced at Link, who swayed his head back and forth. “If not that, then what? …At the center of…all Rito’s hearts…”

He jerked back and glared at Link. What kind of a bold…?

“Exactly where did you pick that up from?” Revali watched as Link underlined the “All Rito’s” portion. “There isn’t a chance that you’ve spoken with every last one of them! I’m not…they wouldn’t…” He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. “There isn’t anyone alive that knows me, and they wouldn’t feel like that about me.”

His eyes snapped open at feeling the blue scarf tug on his neck. Revali watched as Link lifted it in front of him.

“…The…other Champions don’t feel that way…” He tugged the scarf from Link’s hand. “And none of them know me.”

Link placed his hand on his chest, and Revali waited for a moment. He raised an eyebrow and flipped his scarf aside.

“Are you telling me that you do? You know me, you feel for me?” Link nodded to him. “Of all people, _you_? I don’t want your _pity, hero_!” He glared as Link shook his head, and then tapped at his chest again. “…It’s…not from pity?” Another nod. “Then why would you?” The sword tapped at the heart again. “…That doesn’t make any sense.”

Dropping his shoulders as he sighed, Link stepped closer and wrapped his arms around Revali. The Rito froze from the embrace and hesitated. A minute went by, and then another, before Link pulled back, as Revali quietly stared at him.

“After everything I’ve ever done to you…?” He waited as Link nodded. “But why?” His mouth dropped as Link shrugged and smiled to him. “…You must be a fool.”

Stifling a laugh, Link nodded. He turned away and started back toward Hyrule Castle, but Revali’s arm seized his, and locked him in place.

“No, you don’t get to walk away just like that.” Link turned back as Revali loosened his grip. “Why do you care about me? Because I’m a Champion and you’re a hero?” Link shook his head. “Then what?”

Walking back by the dirt, Link wrote out one word: “Friends.” Revali gawked.

“You can’t possibly mean me.” His shoulders dropped as Link nodded. “So, you care and you know me, just because you think we’re friends.” He lowered his eyes at Link’s smile. “That’s just utterly ridiculous.” Link shrugged. “And what if I had died out there, if they hadn’t shown up? You would be just fine without me.” He seethed as Link shook his head. “Yes, you would have! It’s not possible for you to just…care! I have to earn respect, I can’t be liked because…what, we struggled together?” Link nodded. “That doesn’t make us…!”

Revali paused as Link pointed at his arm again. He then pointed to Revali’s arm and watched as Revali studied both of them.

“…We…have been hurt?” Link shook his head. “…We have…both bled…” Revali looked as Link slowly nodded and pointed back and forth. “Together.” Quicker nodding. Revali folded his arms. “…You really think we’ve faced difficult challenges together, and so that makes us friends, regardless of how we were brought together by either Princess Zelda or fate. Is that it?” Link grinned and nodded. “…Give me a break.”

Sighing, Link dropped his arms while Revali stared at the dirt. This fool and poor excuse of a knight stood his ground and maintained that he was…a friend of Revali. That all of the Champions were. That the Rito loved him. What kind of…of nonsense…?

A thumb wiped away at a tear from Revali’s eye, and he jolted back. Link softly smiled at Revali, who touched as his face, wet from tears.

Out of everyone, why was he the one…?

Link reached up to Revali’s face again, wiping away his tears, and the Rito let him. He shuddered from the touch at first, but exhaled and deflated as he kept it up. Something about Link’s fingers against him…they were rough, but his strokes were so gentle. Revali watched and gazed into Link’s blue eyes, mesmerized by the color, by…him.

“This shouldn’t feel good,” mumbled Revali, and Link smirked. His hand trailed down and rested on Revali’s shoulder, as they stared at one another. “Link, I…I haven’t been…” The hero shook his head and smiled at the Champion.

He lightly patted Revali’s shoulder, and the Rito’s wing covered it. Link’s grip loosened as he tried to pull off, but Revali pushed his hand down on his shoulder, and kept him in place. They stayed like that for a moment, relaxing against one another, almost like…well, maybe not quite.

Even still, it wasn’t quite enough for Revali. He lifted his arm and pulled Link into him. Tightening his grip, he kept Link in place and…embraced him. Reaching around him, Link returned the hug and they held together for a bit, maybe longer. Revali sucked in a breath and nuzzled close to Link, tugging him by the shoulders, bringing him in closer still.

Expecting Link to drop his arms at some point, Revali waited for another few minutes, but Link remained right against him. Instead, Revali slowly released Link and pulled back from him. He quickly glanced to the castle, expecting someone to be there, somehow for this moment to be ruined for him…but no one was. Just them.

“…No one hears about this, is that clear?” Revali folded his arms as he stepped back from Link, ignoring his burning and blushing face. “Nobody can know that I…we…”

Patting his shoulders, Link nodded to Revali, and put a finger to his lips. Chuckling a bit, Link backed away from Revali and back toward the castle, but lingered as they observed one another.

For some reason, where Link had moved around to, the sunlight, or moonlight now, it somehow…brightened everything about him. Like he had moved to this perfect spot, and Revali couldn’t stop staring at him. Link hadn’t looked so…clear before.

“We should train tomorrow,” piped up Revali, surprising himself. Link waited. “Just the two of us though, I just want…I want…” Revali wildly shook his head. “We’re going to compete and see which of us can hit the most targets, fastest around the castle. We’ll start with bows and arrows, and then we’ll see how we handle swords.” He placed his hands on his hips. “What do you think?” Smiling, Link nodded. “Good. Then, we’ve got…plans. Just us.” Revali waited as Link nodded again. “Right. Well, when I defeat you swiftly and soundly, no complaints!” Link laughed and Revali lost his composure, his shoulders slumping as his weight shifted around on him. That…never happened to him before. “I’ll, uh…you come find me when you’re ready tomorrow. And you’d better not keep me waiting!”

Lifting his thumb, Link smiled to Revali, and then waved as he wandered back to the castle. Watching him as he left, Revali waited outside of the gate and clutched at his chest. His heart hammered as he gazed where Link had been, and continued as he looked back to what he wrote and drew in the dirt.

Picking up a stick, Revali traced a heart shape around where Link had written “Friends” and hesitated as he stared at it. Snapping the stick in his hand, he pushed away from the ground, but hesitated, as he looked it over once more. Pulling back his wing, Revali readied to sweep a gust at the drawing.

Slowly, though, he lowered his arm, and relaxed his body, in spite of his racing heart.

He stumbled back over to the gate’s columns, and pulled himself around, checking to see if anyone else was there. Finding no one, he turned back around once more and smiled at the ground. Then, he lifted his head up and soared into the night sky.

Maybe tomorrow would be different, and maybe…maybe that was ok.

**Author's Note:**

> Something seems to have awakened in Revali that he's slowly coming to realize.
> 
> Ramble and explanation time!
> 
> Anyway, I wanted to explore how he'd be functioning after the events from Age of Calamity, since I feel like that would really send a shock to the system. I didn't outright state it, but by everyone seeing an older Sidon, they figure out that the intervening warriors came from the future. And since Sidon has a line, "I won't let you take her again" to Waterblight Ganon, on top of how the others referred to them, the Champions also come to understand that they died.
> 
> (Specifically for the references, Teba's "I never thought the Champion would be so..." AND his tendency to refer to him as "Master Revali" didn't help hide anything. Urbosa seemed to have figured out Riju as well. Oddly, it's Yunobo who tried the hardest to keep their cover, or at least to Daruk. Sidon is still the biggest and obvious offender.)
> 
> So, this was a story where Revali goes on living, but with the knowledge that he was originally meant to die, and it doesn't feel great for him. This being coupled with his bad attitude, deep and buried insecurities, and his fears, Revali basically tries to come across as bored when he's really not adjusting well. And rather than share in that with his fellow Champions, who he recognizes are also struggling, he tries to play it off as his usual behavior, leaving them none the wiser.
> 
> Eventually, that blows up on Link, since Revali can't let go of his resentment of the chosen hero, and having to play second fiddle to him. But, rather than Link being totally emotionless, he softens upon hearing Revali's struggles brimming to the surface and resolves to comfort him in spite of Revali himself. (Also, I wasn't sure if I should have him use sign language, since he doesn't quite use that in either game, nor is he labeled mute outright, so...I improvised, or had Link do so. The selectively mute Link would've been nice, but I wanted to write a story without him speaking at all, because canon.)
> 
> And as tempted as I was to keep pushing them closer and closer together, I tried to play their developing relationship in a more organic way, so, no beak kisses, sorry. Instead they have comfort hugs! And Revali becomes a complete mess after he decides Link is more relatable and nicer than he originally determined. Not that he'd admit to it, but it'd be obvious to anyone else around. Hilariously, the one person that would get it is the same one he chased off. But even without it being a full-on romance, I thought it was nice to finally help Link and Revali be friends, because that never was a thing either. So, why not?
> 
> While I didn't dwell much on the other Champions, I did want to have a scene with Zelda and her dad, King Rhoam, because she was basically the main character for Age of Calamity. Also, she's great and pure and deserves love and happiness too, especially after everything she went through. And I feel like King Hyrule would probably be at her mercy, since he finally could cave to his fatherly instincts instead of being King Hardass on her. And, unlike the Champions, they're a bit happier, since Zelda's like, "Yay, I saved my friends!" while Rhoam is further removed from the direct drama that the Champions experienced.
> 
> Phew! That's enough babbling then.
> 
> Thank you for reading the story! I hope you enjoyed it. Take care!


End file.
